Derryn Hinch welcomes crackdown on paedophiles' passports

Australian paedophiles will have their passports cancelled and right to travel overseas revoked under "world first" laws announced by the Turnbull government.

The crackdown, which follows high-profile cases of child exploitation in south-east Asia and fervent campaigning by anti-paedophile senator Derryn Hinch, will affect the more than 20,000 people on the National Child Offender Register.

"This the strongest crackdown on child sex tourism ever. No country has ever taken such decisive action to stop its citizens from going overseas, often to vulnerable countries, to abuse kids," Justice Minister Michael Keenan said on Tuesday.

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Mr Keenan said existing laws to prevent offenders from travelling to commit crimes were "completely inadequate" and urged the Parliament to pass the required amendments to the Criminal Code Act and Australian Passports Act quickly.

Victorian senator Derryn Hinch. Credit:Andrew Meares

The strict laws, which will empower Foreign Minister Julie Bishop to cancel offenders' passports, will apply to people for as long as they are on the offenders register. There are 3200 offenders on the list for life.

Exemptions will be considered based on authorities' advice that a person has legitimate personal or work reasons for travel and does not pose a risk to children abroad.

Senator Hinch, who has prosecuted a tough message on child sex offenders since his time as a broadcaster, said he was "over the moon" with the changes, which he has pushed for following his election to Parliament in 2016.

"It would be the best thing I've achieved in my time here," he told Fairfax Media, labelling the trips taken by offenders - particularly to nearby Asian countries - "child rape holidays".

"People say what about their civil rights? Well when you rape a child, you lose some of your civil rights, from my point of view."

According to the government, almost 800 child sex offenders travelled overseas in 2016. Approximately half of them were breaching reporting obligations, posed a substantial risk of re-offending, or were travelling to South-East Asia.

Ms Bishop said there had been "deep concern" among nearby governments about Australian paedophiles engaging in child abuse tourism in the region.

Late last year, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull labelled child abuse tourists "the worst grubs you can imagine" and a "disgrace to Australia".

"It's very simple, we don't want Australians travelling to South-East Asia for what is – for these sexual, criminal activities," Mr Turnbull told Melbourne radio station 3AW.